A granny flat is one of the fastest ways to add usable space and long-term value to a Sydney property — but only if the design respects the site, the sunlight and the approval pathway from day one. Here is how we take a granny flat from a rough brief to a CDC-ready set of drawings.
Start with the site, not the floor plan
Before drawing a single wall we map the boundaries, easements, fall of the land and where the sun tracks across the block. On most lots the best living spaces want to face north, and the service rooms can absorb the west. Getting orientation right at this stage is what makes a compact 60m² home feel generous.
A Complying Development Certificate (CDC) is faster and more predictable than a full DA — provided the design stays inside the rules. We keep every proposal aligned with the key controls:
Design for the CDC pathway
- Minimum lot size and 12m width for a secondary dwelling
- Maximum 60m² of internal floor area
- Setbacks to boundaries and the principal dwelling
- Private open space and landscaped area
- One accessible, step-free entry
The best granny flats never feel like an afterthought. They read as a deliberate, smaller sibling of the main house.
Light, storage and the illusion of space
Ceiling height, a considered window head height and built-in joinery do more for a small home than extra square metres ever could. We push glazing to the north, borrow light through internal openings, and design storage into every wall so the floor stays clear.
From here the project moves into construction documentation and certification. If you are weighing up a granny flat for rental income, family or a home office, talk to us early — the decisions made in these first sketches are the ones that shape the whole build.
